People Are Strange
by Solita
Summary: Dawn Marie learned a valuable lesson -- never go on blind dates.


  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Son of a _bitch_!" Dawn cursed, pounding the wheel of her gorgeous bright red Mustang with her fist. Growling, she slammed her forehead to rest on the air bag. She closed her eyes, and stayed silent for a while, listening to the rain outside of her window. Dawn groaned. She forgot to pack a coat.  
  
Sitting up in the driver's seat, Dawn automatically knew her car was totaled. She could see the hood of the car was completely crushed into the tree, unlikely for repair. Rubbing her eyes, she was internally grateful that nothing happened to her. She sighed, struggling as she tried to open the door of her car.   
  
Dawn had a feeling she was going to feel the affects of whiplash soon enough. Her neck was beginning to hurt slowly. She nearly shrieked as the freezing rain poured over her, drenching her new outfit completely. Her silk indigo shirt clung to her chest, showing off her black-laced bra, while her black short skirt soaked to her thighs. She was glad no idiotic teenager was around to see her in this vulnerable state.  
  
She pouted and slammed the door behind her, stomping out down the road, determined to find a pay phone and get herself the hell out of here. Dawn knew she was definitely late for her mystery blind date now. She cursed up a storm to herself again, damning the person who gave her that blind date to the seventh layer of Hell and hoped that he froze to death like she was.  
  
The road was long and straight, going in one single, simple path through thousands of trees and grassy plains down to the confines of the enormous, occupied city. She snarled, wondering why she had to end up in a car crash in the middle of nowhere. A long strand of her drenched hair plastered to her face. She discarded it over her shoulder, moving forward.  
  
Picking up her high-heeled black pump, she kept on thinking about what exactly she was going to do to Spike the minute she got back home. Some friend, she bitterly thought. She rolled her eyes at the conversation previously a day before that got her into this big mess.  
  
_"Come on, Dawn!" he whined, clasping his two hands in front of her, shaking them repeatedly. His big blue eyes were wide, heightened by his big black-rimmed glasses, looking at her pleadingly. "You gotta go on this date! He's the best guy I know, and he'd be perfect for you!"_  
  
"Damn you Spike Dudley!" she shrieked, throwing her pumps to the ground with such ferocity that one of the heels broke off from one of the shoes. Her mouth agape in shock and disbelief, she bent down slowly and gingerly picked up the broken shoe in one hand and the heel in the other.   
  
"M... my... my new shoes," she whispered, a crack in her voice. Her eyes began to water, but her sadness was quickly replaced with undeniable rage. She stood up and threw the two pieces into the trees, screaming and yelling as she got the other shoe and threw it in the same direction.  
  
"FUCK IT!" Dawn screamed exasperatedly, walking forward, "I wanna go home!"  
  
She heard something tear loudly. Dawn stopped immediately. Fearful of what made that sound, she slowly let her eyes wander downward.  
  
There was a rip in her pantyhose, from her right foot to her thigh.  
  
Her right eye twitched.   
  
Sitting down on the cold, rain soaked ground, she took off her pantyhose and threw them in the direction where her shoes now buried. "There!" Dawn shouted with a cry, "Choke on it!"  
  
She sat on the ground, feeling her whiplash from the car crash hurting more than ever, and her day just getting worse and worse. She put her head in her hands, and began to sob to herself, tearless. She had no need for those damn tears.   
  
The rain being her only comfort, Dawn didn't know how long she sat there. She thought of what her blind date was thinking, wherever he may be... whoever he was. She thought about Spike, and how she would never ever trust him again. She kept on thinking to herself, oblivious to what was around her.  
  
She heard something come up from behind her... a car most definitely. She could hear the roar of the engine -- possibly a pick up truck -- and the sound of tires driving on the rain-slicked road. She didn't bother asking for a ride like a hitchhiker. She had her wits about her still, even when things were in deep despair. She wasn't about to take a ride from a stranger.  
  
Just like she was expecting, the pick-up truck stopped next to her. It was a white Ford truck with a back seat for additional riders. The window rolled down automatically but Dawn didn't look into the truck. She kept her eyes on the pavement, fixated by the way the rain echoed ripples in the small puddles.   
  
She saw her reflection, and how her make-up was running, watching as a drip of her black mascera flew into a puddle, instantly making it black. She didn't move.  
  
"Miss?" she heard a Texas-accent whisper softly, almost familiar to her senses. "What happened?"  
  
She snorted, closing her eyes and turning her head away, wishing she was alone again. Her neck screamed in protest, but she didn't listen. "Nothing."  
  
"A pretty lady like yourself sitting shoeless in the middle of nowhere outside of Houston _isn't_ nothing," he said nonchalantly, no emotions or playfulness in his voice. He was dead serious.  
  
She bit her lip. "Well, it shouldn't concern _you_. Your just nobody. Probably a rapist or a murderer or some idiot here for a good fuck."  
  
Her eyes snapped open as she heard him chuckle in delight. He was snorting and hollering like crazy, making Dawn cringe in annoyance. He sniffed, as if he was crying from the sheer hilarity. "Oh man, that's a good one," he said, still laughing at the end of his sentence.  
  
Dawn gritted her teeth and snapped her head around, incoherent of her straining neck's needs. "Oh yeah!?" she challenged, standing up to see who she was talking to. "Well, how the hell do I know yo--?!"  
  
She stopped mid sentence, with her mouth still forming the "u." Dawn Marie blinked once, slowly, and stared at the man in the driver's seat.  
  
Steve Austin's dashing blue eyes sparkled in merriment. He pressed the button on the left of him that opened the door to the passenger's side.   
  
Dawn Marie merely opened the door, climbed in, and silently closed it behind her.  
  
  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  
  
It had been about an hour since Dawn had basically yelled at the Rattlesnake, the most feared famous man in sports entertainment today. She stayed silent in the pick-up truck, very surprised that he didn't talk to her or play his music the entire way.  
  
She was grateful he didn't look at her peculiarly, like most men tended to do. He kept his eyes on the road the entire time, never once looking down at her boobs, which were sticking to her shirt still. Growling, she tried to straighten her shirt, but to no avail.  
  
Hugging her elbows, she leaned back into the leather chair, feeling very soothed and relaxed as the heater in the car kept her warm. He was a wonderful gentleman. Her day got so much better when she ran into Austin. She bit her lip. She still felt guilty, and embarrassed, that she happened to snap at him of all people.  
  
The door of the pick-up truck opened, the cold air from the outside stinging against her warming skin. Steve climbed back into the truck, closing the door behind him. He put one of the two bags in his hands on Dawn's lap, and took one for himself.   
  
"Eat up," he said, smiling gently. "It's pretty good food."  
  
Dawn looked at him, a small smile tugging against her lips. She opened the bag and reached in, taking out a pretty big package of aluminum foil. She looked at it for a second, then opening it up. She smiled when she smelled the great scent of a bean and cheese burrito.  
  
Taking a huge bite from it, she ate it nosily, eating it within five big chomps, swallowing it. She sighed happily and glanced at Austin. She bit her lip, though she was still smiling like a madwoman.  
  
There was Steve Austin, his mouth wide and huge, the burrito ready to get shoved into his mouth with his two hands, with his blue eyes wide in surprise and blinking.   
  
Dawn giggled and took another bite from her burrito. She heard Austin take his own bite, but not as nosily as she did. She quickly ate her burrito, surprising herself at how hungry she really was. She didn't eat breakfast or lunch, assuming that it was dinner time now.  
  
Dawn watched as Steve finished his burrito, turning around in his seat and reaching towards the backseat. Curious, she looked over and watched what he brought out. A dark blue blanket came from the back, pulling it towards the front. He got rid of some of the wrinkles with his hands and handed it over to Dawn.  
  
"You're probably cold," he stated. "You might need this."  
  
Dawn blinked, mouth agape again. She took the blanket and quickly smiled, covering her body in its softness and silky warmth. "Thanks, Steve."  
  
"No problem, Dawn."   
  
"Um," she started, not wanting to have a break in silence again, "what... I don't mean to be nosy, but what are you doing out here?"  
  
Steve shrugged, bending forward slightly to pick up his open beer can in the cup holder underneath the radio. "I could ask you the same thing."  
  
"I asked you first," she said cooly, looking at him.  
  
Steve locked eyes with her. "Going to visit an old friend. You?"  
  
Dawn sighed and pouted. "Some stupid blind date. I was driving too fast cause I was late, so I ended up crashing into some stupid tree."  
  
A cold hand touched her neck gingerly, making her jump in her seat. That same hand held her down, massaging her neck in lazy, soft circles. She relaxed automatically at the touch, eyes wandering to the man giving her such pleasure.  
  
Austin's intense blue eyes were focused on her neck, noticing that there was a constant worried gleam hidden within. Dawn hissed loudly when he touched a very sensitive spot at the nape of her neck. He instantly pulled back, his eyes empathetic and merciful.  
  
"Thank goodness, you don't have that bad of a case of whiplash," he whispered, leaning over to the back once again. She watched as he took out a white pillow, and putting it behind her neck.   
  
"What is that?" she whispered.  
  
Austin smiled vaguely. "It's a therapeudic pillow. Helps you out in relieving stress. It helped me during some rough times."   
  
Dawn smiled, whispering her thanks. She laid back, noticing how soft the pillow was to her neck. She looked at Steve again, watching intensely how beautiful his smile is. Dismissing her thoughts, she laid back and began to fall asleep.  
  
Austin turned on the radio, mindful that the woman next to him wouldn't be appreciative of his liking of heavy metal music or country. He found a station that played rock ballads, and was shocked when he heard the song currently.  
  
"_Lost and lonely, the feeling goes on. You were the one friend I had. You gave me so much love. Now the tears remind me you're gone. It still haunts me. There's a silence where you used to be. It still haunts me._"  
  
He closed his eyes for a second, breathing slowly. His hand clutched the wheel hard. The shine of his gold chain peaked out from under his jacket. He sighed harshly.  
  
Taking the break off of the car, he drove out of the restaurant's parking lot.  
  
  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  
  
Dawn slowly opened her eyes, noticing it was still pouring as usual. However, the truck wasn't moving anymore... and the radio wasn't on.  
  
Startled at the fact that she was alone in the truck, Dawn sat up, searching around frantically outside the windows for any sight of Austin. Using her hand to remove some of the fog on the windows, she desperately tried to find the man that saved her from the cold. Wrapping the blanket around her tightly, Dawn began to worry.  
  
_What happened? What's going on? Where's Steve? Where am I? Why is this happening!?_ All those thoughts rushed through her mind, distressing her fully. Unable to bear all of the fear, Dawn decided to take things in her own hands.   
  
Putting the blanket over her head, she opened the truck door and walked out into the pouring rain. Thick fog had settled in, making her unable to see through anything at all. She slowly walked through the fog, yelling out Steve's name in vain. She frantically moved forward, trying not to trip on anything. This wasn't the time to be a klutz.  
  
Still yelling his name, she noticed the large stones and statues that decorated the area. She noticed some dead autumn leaves in the horizon, and the mountains covered in snow. Crouching down onto the soles of her feet, she looked at one of the stones sticking out from the ground and peered at it closely.  
  
She read the name of some random person, and the date of his death. She gasped at the sight. She was in a graveyard. Puzzled and confused, she stood up again, turning around to find Steve again. Why would Steve come here? She didn't know the real answer. She didn't know Steve, personally, so maybe he was here to say goodbye to a friend he knew. That's what he said beforehand...  
  
"Oh shit!" she cursed, tripping on a stone, a certain thing she didn't want to happen. Bracing herself for the hard impact, she unexpected fell into the waiting, warm arms of someone else.  
  
Grasping onto the other man's coat, she looked up from her blanket-covered head, and gasped. "Steve?" she asked warily.  
  
Austin smiled sadly. He helped her to her feet, holding onto her hand. He moved his head forward. "Come on."  
  
Dawn nodded her head, following him. She had so many questions to ask. _Why was he sad? What was wrong? Who was his friend?_  
  
It wasn't long until Austin stopped in front of one grave, isolated from the others. A beautiful, gorgeous bouquet of blue forget-me-nots and white roses were laid on them, making Dawn gasp at the sight. She looked at Austin, his eyes hidden to her gaze.  
  
"That's him," he whispered suddenly.  
  
Dawn was able to see the name through the fog. Her eyes widened at the name.  
  
"Brian Pillman," she read aloud.  
  
Austin held onto her hand tighter.   
  
She watched him, looking at the way he closed his eyes, trying desperately not to shake. She rested a hand on his biscep, gazing empathetically to him like he did previously to her.  
  
"Steve," she whispered softly.  
  
A sob escape, catching Dawn off guard. She clutched his biscep, a sign meaning she was there. He sniffed once, and only once, his chest rocking up and down. She slowly began to understand his pain, holding onto her blanket tighter.  
  
"I just..." He trailed off, letting go of Dawn's hand but she grasped it back. He opened his eyes and slowly turned around to meet her gaze.  
  
His blue eyes were dead.   
  
"I just needed someone to talk to," he whispered gently.   
  
Dawn moved her hand from his bicep, and gingerly touched his cheek. He rested it into the palm of her hand, letting his hot tears mix with the rain, a sight that made Dawn's breath sweep away in one moment.   
  
His blue eyes were so cold, lifeless and filled with such despair. He needed some sort of help, some sort of comfort. She moved forward, closer to his chest. She watched him tense up, his eyes gazing at her, confused and puzzled.   
  
Dawn stood on her tip-toes and kissed him on the opposite cheek lovingly. She let go of the blanket, letting it fall to the ground. She wrapped her hands around his neck, feeling his erratic breathing and the sobs against his chest. She rubbed his neck the way he did to her, feeling him loosen up completely to her touch.   
  
Smiling softly, she peered into his eyes again, intoxicated and infactuated with the loving, adorable color. They kept on changing colors, mixing with his emotions. She watched as he bit his lip, moving his gaze away from her, his eyes shut tightly. His tears kept flowing though, falling onto her own cheeks.  
  
"Don't worry Steve," she whispered with a smile, cupping his chin with her right hand and moving it towards her again. She smiled bigger when he opened his eyes, the blue eyes engulfing her mind entirely.   
  
She kissed him on the lips. "I'm here for you."  
  
Steve's eyes watered profusely, and he held onto her, clinging to her form. Dawn held onto him, letting him cry on her shoulder, whispering all the problems he had roaming through his life to her, trying to find some way to let them loose. Dawn whispered back to him, comforting him.  
  
They both stood in the rain, drenched completely from head to toe. Dawn didn't care. She was positive Austin didn't either.  
  
  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  
  
"Here," Dawn whispered, handing Steve a cup of coffee. Steve looked her way, his blue eyes dead still. "For you."  
  
Steve smiled gently, taking the cup from her with two hands. "Thank you."  
  
Dawn smiled, sitting on the opposite edge of the bed. She was dressed in one of the dark blue robes she found in the hotel room. Dawn had been the one to tell Steve that they should bunk up, being that by the time they entered Houston it was ten at night. Steve didn't protest that suggestion at all.  
  
However, the only room the hotel had left was a single room. Dawn had a feeling Steve wouldn't take advantage of her if they roomed together. He was such a sweet guy... and he was having his own problems currently.   
  
Dawn sighed, watching as Steve took a sip of his coffee at the other edge of the bed. He was still drenched from the rain. Steve had insisted that she took a shower first, saying she probably had a harder day today than he did.   
  
Dawn was taken back at first, noticing the truth and fierceness behind his demand. He really did care for her. She smiled at the moment, seeing his blue eyes filled with such fire and life... not how they were now. Dead... apathetic... confused and afraid. She moved her mouth, trying to say something. Nothing came.  
  
"What is it?" Austin asked, his eyelids drooping over.   
  
Startled that he was watching her that entire time, Dawn blushed. "Um, I was just thinking," she weakly answered.  
  
"About what?" he inquired.  
  
Dawn shrugged, breaking eye contact. "Oh, things. Life. The rain. Yo--"  
  
She stopped herself, relishing in the silence for the longest time while cursing herself for nearly let that little word out.   
  
Austin sighed, lying back to put the cup of coffee on the bed table and sat back up. He slowly cracked his neck, hissing at the loud noises it made. He put his hands in his lap and closed his eyes.  
  
"It was a couple years ago, Dawn," he explained, "and I should be over it by now, y'know?" He paused, only to sigh and relax in the silence of the room, hearing nothing but the soothing rain outside. "He still continues to haunt me."  
  
He smiled. "We were the best of friends. We relied on one another, told each other everything. I could really _trust_ him. He was just..."  
  
He slowly opened his eyes, his smile broadening. "He was my _real_ friend, Dawn." He laughed cynically. "And it's sad, cause no one remembers him. Everyone remembers Owen, and Davey, and Hawk -- and hell, even Crash, y'know?" He touched the chain around his neck. "No one remembers him, but me."  
  
Glancing at Dawn, Austin's eyes began to water softly. "Do you remember him, Dawn? The guy that hanged out with the Hart Foundation and made the "gun" angle with me? Do you remember the times when we were a tag team? I sure hope you do know who he is, Dawn, cause I'm beginning to get really sick and tired of people telling me otherwise.  
  
"He was a good person," he whispered. His eyes diverted away, downcast. "And I miss him."  
  
He sighed again, rubbing his eyes in fatigue. "Look, Dawn, I don't mean to, y'know... make you feel uncomfortable--"  
  
Dawn laughed softly, cutting Austin off. "Steve, you're the most gentle, sweetest, kindest, loving person I've seen in anyone since my Lance."  
  
Austin blushed slightly, but his eyes bugged out of their sockets at the person Dawn said. He looked at Dawn, shocked as hell, but a small smile tugged against his lips. "Lance, huh?" He turned away from her, looking out at nothing. "Heh," he said, clicking his tongue in amazement, "he got one hell of a woman."  
  
Dawn smiled sadly. "Too bad he decided to go off with other women." She scoffed, though, throwing her chin to the air. "But who cares! If he wants to screw other women, I can screw other men! Poetic justice rocks!" she shouted triumphantly, giggling at the end of her statement. Austin huskily chuckled with her, but with less enthusiasm.  
  
Steve kept his smile, looking at Dawn with life in his blue eyes. Dawn gasp as she peer closely into his face, making Austin blinked in surprise.  
  
"What? Something on my face?" he asked, confused and wary.  
  
Dawn peered even closer, her nose touching his cheek, her hot breath and lips near him like beforehand. She began to giggle uncontrollably as she pulled back, lying back on the bed, trying to stop her laughter but to no avail.  
  
Austin pouted, biting his lip. "What?"  
  
Dawn kept chuckling. "You have _DIMPLES!_"  
  
Austin's eyes widened at the sudden revelation, and he blushed. "I do not!" he protested. There was no way that Stone Cold Steve Austin had the most cutest trait ever known to mankind -- dimples.  
  
Grabbing him by the arm, she yanked him from the bed and moved him towards the bathroom with her. She shoved him in front of the mirror, and pointed to the side of his lips with her long, slender finger.  
  
"Right there," she cited with a luscious smile. "A dimple!"  
  
Austin pouted again, narrowing his eyes. "Liar."  
  
"Then smile, Rattlesnake!" Dawn joked, tickling him around the waist line.   
  
Involuntarily Austin smiled and laughed hysterically, noticing that Dawn was true -- he DID have dimples. Very faint dimples. He lost his smile quickly, and blushed deeper than before. His whole face turned beet red, making Dawn giggle at the sight.  
  
"What's this!?" she mocked, pinching his cheeks gently. "Is the lil' Rattlesnakey BLUSHING?!"  
  
Austin blushed deeper then before, speechless. He whimpered instead.  
  
Dawn laughed again, kissing his cheek and moving out of the bathroom. Austin followed her, pouting and silent. Dawn sat on the bed again, watching Austin keep his eyes downcast and away from her sights. She kept snickering.  
  
"God," she whispered, "you're too innocent."  
  
Austin merely looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "Innocent?"  
  
Dawn shrugged, sneakily letting a leg trail out from her robe. Giggling softly, she watched as Austin blushed softly. "There's no other word to describe it, Rattlesnake. You're definitely innocent to the touch of a demon."  
  
Austin smirked, sitting on the edge of the bed, still looking at her. "Like you?"  
  
Dawn kept smiling, crawling towards Austin with a smile on her face. She let a little cleavage show, resting her full pouting lips not far from Steve's own. "Well, I have to repay you for saving me."  
  
Shaking his head, Austin merely said, "You don't have to act like this, Dawn."  
  
Raising an eyebrow, Dawn glared at Steve, confused yet angered. "What do you mean?"  
  
"You're not a whore," he said softly, smiling faintly. "I don't treat women like that."  
  
"Oh yeah, what about Debra?" she asked, a snarl crawling upon her lips.  
  
Steve never looked away. His eyes hardened at the thought, but he kept them on Dawn. "That was a mistake that _I_ made and I openly admit that. I won't make it again, I promise."  
  
Dawn snorted, turning away from his gaze. "How can I trust you?"  
  
Austin moved forward back to the bed, hunching down and gazing into Dawn's eyes until they were touching noses. He kept smiling. "You've trusted me this far."  
  
"Only God knows why," she cynically whispered, rolling her eyes.  
  
He chuckled, flashing her a dimple and making Dawn's heart stop shortly. Softly, he kissed her lips, breaking apart just as tenderly. "Get some rest, Dawn."  
  
Steve stood up and moved from the bed, relaxing on the chair on the opposite side of the room and keeping his head away from where she was. Her mouth was still agape, tickling with the sensation of that sweet, soft kiss planted there. Touching her lip, Dawn had the urge to move over to Steve and just kiss him back.  
  
Sighing, she sat up, opened the covers, and went back to bed. The tingling sensation never left her lips, leaving her to crave for more. Dawn never would have thought that Steve was such a gentle, sweet person. Her thoughts wandered at sleep settle into her mind.  
  
The rain poured down the windowsill all night long.  
  
  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  
  
"You sure you're gonna be okay?" Steve asked for the millionth time in a row, helping Dawn out of his truck by holding onto her arms and shakily around her waist.  
  
Dawn giggled softly, moving forward to kiss Steve on the lips. Clad in a new outfit of a dark blue halter top, black jeans and Converse sneakers thanks to the Rattlesnake, she broke the kiss and gazed into his eyes. "For the sixteenth millionth time, Steve, yes!"  
  
Austin sighed, holding onto her wrist gently. "You sure?"  
  
"Argh!" she yelled, a smile playfully tugging against her lips. "Steve, YES. I am OKAY." Giggling she got a better grip on the black duffel bag that Austin gave her, filled with money, food, and other essentials. She had protested profusely against it, but Steve would have none of it.   
  
She watched as Steve closed the door to the passenger's side, taking out his keys to lock the truck completely and setting the alarm. The two stood in silence, with the midday sun watching over them. Dawn gazed at Steve, breaking the silence. "Thank you."  
  
Smiling, he whispered, "No problem." His eyes brightened. "Do you want me to accompany you to the terminal?"  
  
Dawn smiled as well. "Sure."  
  
Acting like a gentleman, he hooked his arm underneath Dawn's as the two walked forward to into the airport. To those who didn't know who they were, they assumed they were a couple -- boyfriend and girlfriend or husband and wife. Both blushed at their whispers and acquisations. Dawn turned to Steve, shrugging languidly. Steve laughed.  
  
They didn't speak to one another as they moved down the long hallway to the terminal junctions of the Houston Airport. The two would occasionally look at each other, smiling softly, enjoying the company and the silence. Once in a while Steve would ask her if she was okay, and Dawn would continually roll her eyes and affirm that she was fine.  
  
At the terminal, Steve stayed with Dawn, sitting next to her, keeping their hands entwined. Dawn absentmindedly played with his fingers, with no complaint from the other man. Never once looking at Steve, Dawn gazed outside to the gorgeous Texas sky and open fields. She watched as planes came and go, and watched as people filed in and out of them.  
  
Over the radio system she heard a faint song that she recognized easily. Dawn began to hum the tune, trying desperately to remember some of the lyrics and the name of it. Her head bobbed to the beat of it, humming the tune a little louder each time. Her attention diverted, though, when she began to hear the lyrics from a raspy, untrained voice.  
  
"_When you're strange_," Austin whispered, his head bobbing to the song as well, "_faces come out of the rain. When you're strange, no one remembers you're name... when you're strange, when you're strange..._"  
  
"You know this song?" Dawn asked, her mouth smiling and her eyes completely shocked.  
  
Austin smiled and nodded once. "Of course. It's a classic."  
  
"Whose it by, again?" she asked.  
  
"The Doors," he said with a smile. "Best damn band ever. Next to Zeppelin, Sabbath, and a few other bands."  
  
"I never would have guessed you to like that kind of music," she said truthfully.  
  
Austin smirked. "Same with you, Dawnie."  
  
Their conversation ended abruptly, though, when the flight Dawn was taking began to board its passengers. She turned around, watching the exodus of people handing over their tickets and walking onto the ramp. Her hand tightened around Steve's, closing her eyes and turning her head back to it's original position.  
  
Austin gazed at Dawn, squeezing her hand back. Using his free hand to cup her chin, he tilted her head upwards, watching as her eyes opened slowly. He grinned, and Dawn smiled at the dimples that greeted her once again.  
  
"Hey," he whispered, "it wasn't some one-stand stand."  
  
Dawn laughed softly. "Technically we didn't have sex."  
  
He shrugged with his shoulders and his face, making Dawn giggle again. "I didn't care for that, Dawn. It was the time we spent. That was worth it." He smiled, pulling back his arm and pressing their foreheads together. "I'd... I'd like to do it again."  
  
For a second, she stopped breathing. His colbat blue eyes sparkled so bright they sucked in her soul. She blinked, and smiled teasingly. "Hopefully without the rain and the ruined outfits and the car crashes."  
  
Austin chuckled huskily, moving back and helping Dawn to her feet. He walked with her towards the line. Regretfully, he let go of her hand, watching with saddened Texas blue eyes as she handed over her ticket and was given back the ripped version.   
  
Slowly he smiled and waved at her gently. "See ya," he whispered.  
  
Dawn flashed a grin at him.  
  
Turning around, Dawn grasped her duffel bag. She felt his eyes watching her go down the cooridor to the ramp where the plane was, implanting into her mind how gorgeous those twin blue stars were. Humming the song "People Are Strange" to herself, she walked down to the plane.  
  
Once on the plane, she took her window seat and looked to the outside, noticing how gorgeous the sky was and how open the fields were. There was no trace of the rain from yesterday, as if the sun sucked away the misery and the despair and left behind rays of hope and comfort.   
  
Her keen eyes fell upon the airport. There, in front of the mirror of the terminal she was once at was Steve Austin, staring at her plane, smiling softly to himself. She gingerly touched her window, eyes softening. Chuckling, she sat back as the plane began to move, her eyes never leaving the form of Austin and how he loyally stood there until she left.  
  
Abruptly, she heard her cell phone ringing in the duffel bag. Reaching underneath her seat, she pulled out the bag and zipped it open, taking out her small blue phone and pressing the green button.  
  
"Hello?" she asked.  
  
"Hey Dawn!" Spike greeted. "How did that blind date go? Were you surprised?!"  
  
Dawn Marie smirked as she looked back at the airport, and remembered the image of the man who stole her heart.  
  
"Yeah," she whispered softly. "You can say that."  
  
She quickly told Spike she would tell him the details later, turning off the cell phone and placing it back into her duffel bag -- a bag that once belonged to Steve. However, he handed it over to her, so she could keep her belongings in there.  
  
Hugging the memento slightly, she placed it back underneath the seat and buckled herself in. She closed her eyes, and began to dream softly of the rain, the night before, and the future ahead with a man she would had never expected to be in a relationship with.  
  
The plane took off. Dawn fell asleep.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
